St Paul’s timeless message
The Catholic faith in Malta must be “strengthened” and “updated” to ensure that the message brought to the island by St Paul, 2,000 years ago, remained relevant in today’s realities, Fr Martin Mamo said.
“We must admit that among us there is... faith haemorrhage... consumerism... pagan elements in our feasts... and religious apathy,” he said, stressing the importance of cherishing the “gift of faith” given to the Maltese people by St Paul.
He was addressing the large crowd that packed St Paul’s church in Valletta on occasion of the feast of the saint’s shipwreck in Malta. “We thank God for this gift of faith because 2,000 years ago St Paul came to Malta to bless us with this gift... We pray for Malta to keep walking in this path,” Fr Mamo said in a passionate homily.
He then addressed himself to President George Abela, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi, Labour leader Joseph Muscat, Cabinet ministers, MPs and dignitaries who formed part of the congregation.
He said that, when it came to faith, there were no political colours. “We all fall under the same red and white flag,” he said referring the Maltese national colours.
“Today, we celebrate Malta’s baptism... Only through Christ can we build a future in today’s reality,” he said.
Fr Mamo said the Church had always been instrumental in helping out those who experienced social problems. These included prisoners, people in hospitals and irregular migrants.
“It will keep doing this in new languages and using new methods to suit today’s realities,” he said
He ended the homily with the words of St Paul: “If for other’s I’m not an apostle... for you, I am”. These words were greeted with a loud applause as the members of the congregation stood up.
Feast lovers
Wilfred Abela and his friend Mario Bonello, both 73 years old, make it a point to attend the feast of St Paul every year.
They were born and brought up in Valletta and, although they moved out of the capital after they got married, Valletta blood still runs through their veins.
“When I got married I promised my wife I’d bring her to Valletta at least twice a year: for the feasts of St Paul and of St Dominic,” Mr Bonello said with a smile.
“I still love coming to Valletta... it gives me a sense of happiness,” he said.
Mr Abela, added: “I still care deeply about the feast... Although the number of people who live in Valletta dropped to about a third of the population at the time I was a boy, the feast remains well attended... and nowadays you see more tourists.” The two couples were among the many attending the traditional march by the La Vallette band that started just before 1 p.m. The morning drizzle had subsided by then, giving way to a sunny but cold day much to the delight of festa lovers.
The procession with the statue of St Paul and the saint’s relic was held in the evening.
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Paul Pulis
Feb 11th, 14:58
To our politicians he said ' Only through Christ can we build a future in today's reality'
Try telling this to Greek politicians in a country predominantly christian but socially irresponsible and then to German or Chinese politicians in a predominantly secular/atheist, but responsible society.
Anthony Galea
Feb 12th, 08:00
Chinese politiicians are responsible? From their authoritarian regime, to their support of mass-murdering regimes (like Syria) to the one-child policy, to God knows how many other corrupt and shameful practices, I would NOT classify Chinese politicians as responsible. Indeed, if your best model of the atheist politician is the Chinese one, then I sure am glad that Christian politicians still exist.
And last time I looked, the majority of the German parliament is made up of Christians, not atheists.
If you were being honest, you should have pointed out the previous strongly secular parties of Spain or Portugal, and the disaster they brought to their countries, in almost every single aspect.
Neville Debattista
Feb 11th, 14:07
@Fr. Mamo. Have you ever asked yourself if your paranoiac homilies could have been one of the causes which brought about this religious apathy? If you never did so I will advice you to give it a try.
Martin Cassar
Feb 11th, 11:56
When St Paul came to Malta; the Maltese welcomed him and hosted the 267 people who were with him, giving them all they needed.
As far as to what I have heard once in our TV programmes the Maltese population around the year 1880-1910 was about 20-25 thousands. Could anyone (preferably a anthropologist not a theologian) provide an approximate figure of the Maltese population during St. Paul’s visit to Malta please?
Thank you.
William Flynn
Feb 11th, 11:30
Gerie/Gerry Cowie says: Long live Catholic Malta.
Yep! Catholic Malta with no fault divorce.
Gerry/Gerie Gowie forgot to mention the 200,000 odd voters (about two thirds) who rejected the call of the bishops in the divorce referendum. Does that statistic count to him? Now let me see...will he say yes or no?
I’ll go out on a limb here and predict he’ll say no.
Gerry Cowie
Feb 11th, 10:14
So it is up to all of us to stand up to the forces of secularism and atheism. You only have to read the letters in this paper and the comments on line to see that a few vociferous people wish to see the end of religion in Malta and a totally secular state - and one or two of these people left Malta years ago and yet still wish to enforce their own style of secularism whilst having no actual ability to make changes themselves through their own lack of immediate voting power.
The Church has come through worse times than these and will always prevail in Malta which, despite vociferous denials and carefully selected statistics and on-line polls, is primarily a Catholic country.
Long Live Catholic Malta!
Peter Shaw
Feb 11th, 11:18
"stand up against the forces of secularism and thesim". What forces ? Somehow, the word Paranoid comes to my mind.
Luke Lanzon
Feb 11th, 11:59
I really can't see what problem you have for malta being a secular state. Being secular doesn't mean the church will no longer be around, it will just mean that it won't interfere with the law.
Carmel Serracino-inglott
Feb 11th, 15:41
Well said. Representing Malta at St. Paul Shipwreck church in Valletta were the Prime minister and the leader of opposition. Long Live Catholic Malta.
Victor Rodenas
Feb 11th, 09:27
Well said ,and the sooner the better.We have already lost half of our blood and blood is still oozing out fast especially in the younger generation.Unless things change,in the near future ,as already happened in Europe,most of the Churches will become museums.
Francis Saliba M.D.
Feb 11th, 11:11
The external manifestations of a very long Christian tradition may not be receiving the same importance as happened during the centuries long past, but nothing, absolutely nothing, could ever eradicate the Christian foundation for the European and Western culture of to-day and nothing would prevent the steady spread of that message to the third-world less developed regions of the world.
Victor Rodenas
Feb 11th, 16:11
Do not be so sure Mr.Saliba,remember the divorce referendum a few months ago,that can be an eye opener for the future.Many ,I included, thought that it will not pass,..but it did.Less priests and much less nuns,the writing is on the wall,when you see very dark clouds in the sky, a storm will be coming.